Tell Me: Episode #8 Jimmy Casas: How to Pause and Be A Merchant of Hope To Others

HAPPY NEW YEAR my friends!

This season we take on the subject of resilience and how important building resiliency is in terms of our survival regarding our mental, physical and spiritual well being, no matter what stage of life we find ourselves.

I have wanted to interview my good friend John Welling since the podcast’s inception.   His roles over the years as patriarch, Fire Chief/first responder, coach, sports official, youth mentor, volunteer with the Special  Olympics and professional team leader have led to the birth of many power of one and power of one another moments.

In this episode, John candidly talks about what resiliency looks like in his own journey, the mistakes he's made, what he's learned and the practices he puts in place to make a difference in the lives of others on a daily basis.

John was blessed to have two loving parents who showed him the way and they instilled in him the core values of service and sacrifice.  His father John had compassion and love for the mentally challenged and started a summer camp for children, which his family all became a part of.  His mother, Anne, is an eloquent writer and communicator and below is an excerpt from a letter she wrote to the Operations Manager of the Penn Transplant Center after his father was blessed to be the lucky recipient of an organ donor.

Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many friends you have. Not about if you have plans this weekend or if you're alone. It isn't about who you are dating, who you used to date, how many people you've dated, or if you haven't been with anyone at all. It isn't about who you have kissed.  It's not about sex. It isn't about who your family is or how much money they have.  Or what kind of car you drive. Or where you are sent to school. It's not about how beautiful or ugly you are. Or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. It's not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, or brown. Or if your skin is too light or too dark. Not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everybody else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. It's not about what clubs you're in or how
good you are at "your" sport. It's not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will "accept the written you."

LIFE JUST ISNT.

But, life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about who you make happy or unhappy purposefully.  It's about keeping or betraying trust. It's about friendship, used as a sanctity or a weapon. It's about what you say and mean, maybe hurtful, maybe heartening. About starting rumors and contributing to petty gossip. It's about what judgments you pass and why. And who your judgments are spread to. It's about who you've ignored with full control and intention. It's about jealousy, fear, ignorance, and revenge. It's about carrying inner hate and love, letting it grow, and spreading it. But most of all, it's about using your life to touch other people's hearts in such a way that could have never occurred alone. Only you choose the way those hearts are affected, and those choices are what life's all about."

For more information about John you can reach out to him via e-mail at: station27chief@comcast .net.

For more information about Camp Jaycee and the Special Olympics and how you can get involved, please follow the links below.

https://www.campjaycee.org
https://www.specialolympics.org

Recently on Facebook, I posted that "moms get it done."

In my work as a children's advocate and book author, I always say that first and foremost, I'm a mom.

There is no greater or more fierce force of nature than the love a mother has for her children.  Plain and simple.  End of story.

As we launch Season 3 of this episode series, I am both honored and humbled to bring you this inspiring journey.

In Reversed: A Memoir, Lois Letchford describes the powerful journey of how the education system failed her son, Nicholas, saying he'd never learn to read and had no strengths. Yet how can a boy with "no strengths" build 14-foot replica of the Empire State Building out of thousands of K'NEX Construction Toy pieces from memory?

Learn how one mother's amazing fight and determination to save her child (and herself) from the labels, judgment and challenges of dyslexia.

Truly one of the most inspiring episodes of the "Tell Me" series.

To learn more about Lois and her work, Nicholas and how you can get help if you or anyone you know is struggling with dyslexia, visit her website:

https://www.loisletchford.com

Lisa Graham
I am a children's author, motivational speaker, Tedx Presenter and Podcast host and producer.  I love people and  strive everyday to inspire others through the sharing of one another's stories.

For more information about how we are helping children through our Healing Hearts campaign and book tour, visit our website at https://www.lgrahamauthor.com

While our books are up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, you can order personalized books directly from me at the website above.  You can also e-mail me directly at lgrahambook@gmail.com.  Would love to hear from you!

Visit my non-profit, Empower Kids for Literacy, and find out how you can help with our mission to support mental health and literacy in children.
https://www.empowerkidsforliteracy.com/

Finally, a heartfelt thank you goes out to Liam Graham and Anna Yanessa for providing the musical soundtrack for our show!

Thanks as always for your support and can't wait until next time!

See you on the path!

Meet Mae Krier, 95, one of the youngest of the original Rosie's, when she was hired by Boeing in Seattle, WA, to work as a riveter building B-17 and B-29 bombers.   
,
One of Mae's lifelong wishes was for the Rosie the Riveters to have their own national day of recognition.   When Twilight Wish, an organization that grants wishes for seniors heard about it, it was full steam ahead. 

Thus began a series of incredible events that launched greater awareness and worldwide appreciation and respect for the women of the Rosie the Riveters wartime efforts.

Join me on the path with Mae Krier and Cass Forkin, Founder of Twilight Wish, as they share this powerful story of how one dream brought two total strangers together.  You will hear how their courage, resilience and grit transformed the world's perception of women, and the difference and impact they can make, forever.

If you would like to find out more  about either the Rosie the Riveter effort or Twilight Wish you can reach Cass via e-mail at cass.forkin@twilightwish.org or simply by reaching out to her at 215.534.0402.
For more about Twilight Wish, you can also visit her website by clicking the link below
https://twilightwish.org

Follow and like Mae’s Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/honorrosie/

For pictures and additional information about Mae and the Rosie the Riveter effort, you can also click on the following link
http://www.spiritof45.org/meet_mae_krier.aspx


Lisa Graham
I am a children's author, motivational speaker, Tedx Presenter and Podcast host and producer.  I love people and  strive everyday to inspire others through the sharing of one another's stories.

For more information about how we are helping children through our Healing Hearts campaign, visit our website at https://www.lgrahamauthor.com

Finally, a heartfelt thank you goes out to Liam Graham and Anna Yanessa for providing the musical soundtrack for our show!

Thanks as always for your support and can't wait until next time!

See you on the path!

Welcome to all of our listeners and subscribers!  Thanks to you, the Tell Me podcast has hit over 4500 downloads since its inception!  This is a big deal as we only have a total of 26 episodes published, so I am so thankful to all of you for walking on the path with me and my guests.  To date, we are being heard in 60 countries, 1750 cities and are in every continent.  As we grow, we are welcoming the opportunity to partner with sponsors, so if you would like to become a sponsor of our show, please reach out to me at lgrahambook@gmail.com.
 
I truly love what I do.   As I always say, everyone has a story, and I believe there is much to learn from one another.

Anyone who knows me knows my faith is very important to me.   That's why when I got the opportunity to interview Monsignor Michael Mannion, aka Father Mike, I jumped right in.  In addition to being the Chaplain for the NJ Fraternal Order of Police and working with other branches of law enforcement including the FBI,  he also ministers to veterans, parents who have lost their children to murder or addiction, and his retreat program is home to many who have felt they have simply lost their way.
 
When you are in the presence of this man, you truly feel like you are in the presence of something so much larger than yourself.  Call it God, call it spirit, call it the best of what humanity has to offer.   It is no wonder or surprise that he enjoyed a deep spiritual relationship with one of the most beloved mothers that has ever walked the earth, Mother Teresa.

But don't let the gentle nature of his demeanor fool you.  In this quiet strength, and maybe sometimes not so quiet when he's fighting for a cause he believes in, he has singlehandedly impacted the lives of millions of people.  Young and old, from all backgrounds and faiths, he has made a significant life changing and in many cases, life saving difference, in the lives of people from all over the world.

Founder of Discovery House in Hammonton, NJ, The Discovery Ministries Retreat program was founded in 1974.   Since then over 30,000 youth, young adults, and family members have participated in spiritual retreats that have helped participants grow, pursue their dreams, and develop their God-given talents and gifts. To say that these experiences have included a few miracles of hope and healing is an understatement!

Discovery Ministries now also provides social, recreational, and spiritual opportunities for families with chronically ill children, handicapped children, or special needs children. Discovery House thus serves as a “home away from home” for families who deserve our special care and attention and who honor us with their presence.

Located in the beautiful pinelands of South Jersey (3730 Richards Ave, Mullica Township, NJ 08037) near Hammonton, the newly renovated and expanded Discovery House also hosts workshops, conferences, meetings, and training sessions sponsored by church and community groups, service and educational organizations.

For more information about Discovery House and its programs through Discovery Ministries, visit their website is discoveryministriesinc.org or click on the link below:
 
https://dmi-nj.org/

You can also reach out directly to Father Mike via e-mail at: mtmannion@comcast.net.

For more information about my newly released children's books and to learn more about our Healing Hearts campaign for children, visit our website at https://www.lgrahamauthor.com

Finally, a heartfelt thank you goes out to Liam Graham and Anna Yanessa for providing the musical soundtrack for our show.

See you on the path!!

Susan Silver and Genevieve Piturro have an amazing connection.  Their love for the Mary Tyler Moore Show...and children.

Susan Silver was one of the first female TV comedy writers, with credits like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Maude, and Bob Newhart, among others.  As the lyrics from the iconic Mary Tyler Moore Show said, “She made it after all!” From another Midwestern town, Milwaukee, with all its 1960’s values and normalcy, Susan went on to fame and fortune in Hollywood, had a successful career as one of the first women in TV sitcoms, and reinvented herself in different prominent arenas in New York.  Along the way, she “Searched for Mr. Adequate,” her well-received dating column, had many romantic adventures, loves and loss, and she’s ‘still here!’ Though her story is unique due to the career she chose, her life is relatable to all women. 

Hot Pants in Hollywood is a showbiz memoir and much more. It tells of a baby boomer’s life on steroids though her story is unique, due to the career she chose, her life is relatable to all women looking for advice in work or love: baby boomers dealing with divorce, dating, aging parents and young women of today.   She is also a cancer survivor and talks about the 3 Rs:  Resilience, Reinvention, and Relationships and how important a role they each play in her life today.

You can find out more about Susan by visiting her website:
https://hotpantsinhollywood.com

Follow the link to her radio show:
https://robinhoodradioondemand.com/podcast/susan-says-with-susan-silver-usa-new-version


Genevieve PIturro was a successful television marketing executive until she dramatically changed the direction of her life. In 2001, she jumped off the corporate ladder and founded the hugely successful national non-profit, Pajama Program, when a six-year-old girl’s question changed her life forever! Almost twenty years later, Genevieve’s Pajama Program has delivered 7 MILLION magical gifts of new pajamas and new books to children throughout the US. Genevieve is now a professional speaker and consultant on The Human Connection, sharing life and leadership lessons she learned through her Pajama Program journey. Her first book: Purpose, Passion and Pajamas: How to Transform Your Life, Embrace the Human Connection and Lead with Meaning, was released August 4, 2020. 

One of the best days of Gen's life was the day she received a message from Susan in response to a social media post.  It was Gen's birthday.

Join us on the path to learn how two complete strangers were brought together for their shared affinity for both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and their love of children.

See you on the path!

Author and Coach Mary Silver knows what it takes to walk a journey alone.   

Mary is so easy to talk to, and is such a great coach and mentor.  We talk about everything  dating back to her childhood and her need to connect with people at an early age, to her relationships and finally to her life's work which shows others how to build one's belief system from the inside out, empowering them to find happiness and their true purpose.

Mary received her Master's in Social Work from the University of Denver in 1997 and is a business & success expert, author, speaker, and coach. She helps coaches, authors, consultants, and visionaries build a business they love by using a formula that attracts their soulmate clients. The formula is unique to their style and allows them to shine while making the money their desire. This allows them to have more free time to make the impact they desire in the world.

She is the author of the best-selling book Impact Millions- The Easiest Way To Attract Your Soulmate Clients Every Day, creator and developer of numerous programs, reports, articles, webinars, talks, speeches, and tele-seminars focusing in this area. She is a 3 time published author in collaborative books with other industry leaders.

Yahoo Finance named her as one of the top 10 Success Coaches to follow in 2021. She was named one of the top professionals in her field in 2018 by Powerful Professionals and has been featured in major media outlets such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Bustle, ASK, Medium, Thrive Global, The Boston Globe, The CW, The Miami Herald, and many more.

Mary is a coach, speaker, author, Certified Law of Attraction Coach, Certified Rapid Results Coach, Certified Cash Injection Specialist, Certified Business Breakthrough Coach, Certified Marketing Coach, and many more who focuses on helping coaches, visionaries, creatives, and heart-centered service providers attract their soulmate clients while building a business and life they love by following their own unique blueprint for success! Mary also has facilitated The Abundance Principle coaching group and the Ideal Body for the Quantum Success Coaching Academy.

Specialties: Energy work such as Law of Attraction and Universal Laws, and meditation, business coaching, on-line marketing, relationship marketing and sales.

Other areas that Mary is experienced in: Community education, public speaking, writing, group trainer, group facilitator, online business building, course creation, abundance coaching, purpose & passion coaching, relationship coaching, finding your soulmate, & life coaching.

I really had fun with this walk on the path.  I know you will too!

See you on the path!

To learn more about Mary, visit her website at https://www.marybaileysilver.com

Follow her on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marybaileysilver/

Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/marybaileysilver

Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TheMarySilver

Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marybaileysilver/

Jeff Zoul did not like school.  In fact, he said it sucked.  Today, he is a  lifelong teacher, learner, and leader. His daily post on Twitter reads: "Work Hard...Have Fun...Be Nice...Today!"

What I loved about our walk is how open and honest he was about his journey as an educator and the trials he faced growing up.  Fully transparent, he takes us on his journey from the struggles as a young boy and adolescent who never felt he fit in, to his troubled days as a teenager who never found that connection with a mentor in high school.

Then in his senior year, that all changed.   One couple, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, both educators who never had children of their own, gave him hope and validation.

"They were magnets for troubled teens," said Jeff, "just good people."  Mr. Campbell looked past the labels and destructive behavior and took him on as his own.  Both heroes in his eyes, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were role models Jeff looked up to.  They saw something in him no one else did  at a time he needed it most.

While he didn't have the ideal experience as a student is an extreme understatement, the positive influence his mentors had on him inspired him to enter into education.  His goal was to do better, to provide a better experience for students by incorporating fun and laughter into teaching and to not be satisfied with simply checking off a "to do" list, but to commit to being all in and seek collaboration to help students solve their problems.

He found a way and we are so lucky to have him as a resource.
 
During Jeff’s distinguished career in education he has served in a variety of roles, most recently as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning with Deerfield Public Schools District 109 in Deerfield, Illinois. Jeff also served as a teacher and coach in the State of Georgia for many years before moving into school administration.

Zoul has taught graduate courses at the university level in the areas of assessment, research, and program evaluation and has been recognized as a local Teacher of the Year and as an outstanding principal in the State of Georgia. He also served as principal at a national School of Excellence in Illinois.

He is the author/co-author of more than a dozen books.  In 2015 he founded Connectedd with long-time friend and respected colleague Jimmy Casas.   Two of the most recent releases are Handle With Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools With Dignity and Respect, as well as Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future.

Other books include What Connected Educators Do Differently; Start. Right. Now. - Teach and Lead for Excellence; Improving Your School One Week at a Time; The Principled Principal; and Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers. Zoul has spoken at conferences and school districts in more than thirty states. Jeff has earned several degrees, including his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts and his doctoral degree from the University of Alabama. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys running and has completed over a dozen marathons.

You can follow Jeff’s blog at: jeffreyzoul.blogspot.com 
Connect with him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/Jeff_Zoul
E-mail him at jeffzoul@gmail.com
 Connect with him on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffzoul
 Visit his website at:  https://www.connectedd.org

Have you ever heard a little voice inside your head? 

Genevieve Piturro, my good friend and guest, tells a compellingly beautiful story about two little voices that gently but clearly spoke to her...directly from her heart.

One in the middle of the afternoon in her NYC apartment and the other on a NYC subway in the form of a raindrop that kissed the top of her head.

Best selling author, speaker, and founder of Pajama Program, her story will truly touch and inspire all who are blessed to hear it.

Genevieve was a TV executive in NYC for 20 years when a little girl's question changed the course of her life.  It was at that moment she jumped off the corporate ladder and began listening to her heart voice as she calls it - urging  her to follow her passion for helping children.

She began delivering pajamas and books to children in shelters and in 2001 founded Pajama Program, a national non-profit which is recognized not only for her story but for its success - to date having delivered 7 MILLION new pajamas and books to children through 63 chapters across the US.

Genevieve is a professional speaker and personal strategist, inspiring people to listen to their heart-voice connection to achieve success and true happiness.

Her first book, an Amazon best seller, Purpose, Passion and Pajamas: How to Transform Your Life, Embrace the Human Connection and Lead with Meaning, was released in August 2020.  Her debut TEDx Talk: "1 Idea + The Human Connection = 7 Million Pajamas and Books" also debuted in August 2020.

Genevieve has been interviewed on various media including most recently Hallmark's Home & Family Show, OPRAH, TODAY, GMA, CNN, Fox & Friends, O Magazine and Forbes.  She has rang the Nasdaq bell in 2016 and is the recipient of many awards.


She can be reached at
https://pajamaprogram.org

https://www.genevievepiturro.com

E-mail : gen@genevievepiturro.com

Listen to your heart voice!  It's telling you something!

See you on the path!

Meet Ashley Monteil...a New Jersey-based artist, illustrator, and graphic designer.

I am super excited to bring you her story because as you know, this season is all about imagination and creativity.  If you've been following our show, you also know that I love to give exposure to young artists. 

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Ashley on my recent children's book, Randle Finds His Light (due to be released sometime in July...go to lgrahamauthor.com to get updates!!)  I needed an illustrator, wanted to support and give an up-and-coming artist a chance, and through my local college, was able to connect.   

You will hear all about our journey of the challenges and joys of the creative process.  My need to create characters, vision and storyline and her need to bring those images to paper while maintaining her art form and remaining true to her style.  We talk about the ups, the downs, and the breakthroughs that in the end, made it all worthwhile. 

 Ashley works in fine and digital art, and while much of her artwork focuses on an ethereal theme that have a storylike quality, she also has a passion for graphic design.  She brings beauty into functionality and purpose.

I am so proud of her as she recently graduated from her class with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude! She has an amazingly bright future and is currently in the process of moving to Portland Maine to pursue the next leg of her creative journey a.  t the  Maine College of Art.

She is available for hire on a project-by-project basis and can be reached:
 E-mail her at
ashley.cavanaugh.m@gmail.com

Follow her on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/aisfor_ashley

Follow her on Twitter
https://twitter.com/upsidedownsushi

We talk about the "Power of One" (PO1) influence in our lives and how it can change one life or many.  This couldn't be more evident than in the Greer Family.

Asil Greer is an 8-year-old actor, model, and kidpreneur from Philadelphia, PA. He presently attends Lotus Academy and is in the second grade and is the founder/author of I Can Read, So I Can Lead, an organization encouraging children to adults to read so that one day they can lead.

 Meet PO1 person Dr. Jerry Goldstein, Asil's pediatrician at St. Christopher's Children's Hospital.  Learn how Asil's journey of his love for reading started when he received his very first book I Love My Mommy from Dr. Goldstein through the Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia (RORGP) Program.  RORGP is an affiliate of the national nonprofit organization which incorporates books into pediatric care visits.
 
Fast forward five years when another PO1 (power of one) MOMENT occurred as Asil was reading his favorite Dr. Seuss book while at his mama's place of work.

These moments are what I call our " INSPIRATION DATES" -  moments, if we pay attention to them, which can ultimately change our lives as we discover our purpose and find our voice.

We have many links below to offer assistance to parents...please check them out!

Love you all and SEE YOU ON THE PATH!

To find out more about me and what Empower Kids LLC and Empower Kids for Literacy is doing, visit my website at https://www.lgrahamauthor.com

For more information about Asil, his programs, and books, please go to his website
https://icanreadsoicanlead.us/
Follow him on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/asilsfashion/

Asil's mother, Kwaminah, or "Mecca" as she is known by all who love her, can be reached on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mecca.gees
She can be reached by phone at 267.693.8344 and
Her e-mail is kwaminah2010@yahoo.com

For more information on Pastor Glenn Morton and his Father to the Fatherless and Seven Magicial Keys programs (among others)
Visit his website https://glennmorton.com/welcome/welcome
Follow him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fatherlessgen

For more information on Davon Clark and ADC Kids LLC
Visit his website https://adckid.wixsite.com/adckid
Follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/DClark_World
Follow him on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/davon-clark-0461ab65

For more information on Dorian Harris and Net Community Care
Dorian.Harris@ net-centers.org
Parent Mentor
Community Engagement
Engage, Educate, Empower
Supporting and assisting caregivers.
Empowering the Community
Visit their websitehttp://netcenters.org
Follow them on Twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/netcommunitycare
Follow them on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/NorthEastTreatmentCenters/